The state government of Western Australia has officially opened the 180MW Warradarge Wind Farm.
Equipped with 51 wind turbines, Warradarge Wind Farm will be commissioned in phases. A spokesperson for developer Bright Energy Investment said the company expects the wind farm to reach its full generating capacity by the end of this month.
Once fully operational, the facility will generate enough clean energy to power 135,000 Western Australian homes.
Each turbine at the site weighs 181t, uses 67m long blades, and has a hub height of 84m with a height of 151m to the top of the blade tip.
The wind farm site is located in the Mid-West region, 15km north-east of Warradarge, 15km south-east of Eneabba and 40km south-west of Carnamah. Bright Energy says this location will allow it to leverage the rich wind resources available in the region.
The wind farm was opened by the Western Australian Minister for Energy Bill Johnston. Johnston said: “It’s exciting to witness the sheer scale of this project, and without a doubt, the Warradarge Wind Farm will become one of the best large-scale renewables projects in Australia.
“The McGowan Government is committed to improving energy affordability and creating a cleaner, greener energy system for Western Australians.
“This is a project that has delivered local jobs using local contractors and will further secure the future of energy supply in this State.”
During the construction phase, the project created more than 200 jobs in the region. It took 12 months to complete, from the first mobilisation to site.
Bright Energy Investments general manager Tom Frood said: “The company is incredibly proud this large-scale renewable energy project has come to fruition.
“The Warradarge Wind Farm is a world-class asset, and the culmination of this significant project is reflective of the hard work and dedication of everyone involved.”
In addition to Warradarge Wind Farm, Bright Energy Investments is reported to have completed the Stage two expansion of the Greenough River Solar Farm near Geraldton, and refurbishment of Albany Grasmere Wind Farm.
